What is man that You, O GOD are mindful of him? Is the phrase that was in my mind while turning on my lap top this morning. For what purpose I have at this moment no idea, as I am still tuned into, can two walk together without they being in agreement and in the beginning, GOD. This morning I have targeted the ways of man are know to GOD, as there is nothing about us that comes as a surprise to Him regarding our ways be they for evil or for good. HE knows of them before we do, so with each we are to measure or weigh their out come before we take any actions required on our part. For we along carry the burden for the out come and in all we are not alone as we think and reason. Matters not if I am a criminal or a murderer by words or in deeds or even a good person, in my own opinion of myself. My conscience being burned with a hot iron, or soft and in agreement with the LORD and His ways. Then we are counted among the righteous. The Master is still the Master as we play the chest game known as life, HE never ever leaves us, we just are not aware of His presents within. Now for Pastor Hoekstra and his teaching on Grace and faith as seen in the person of Joseph. And then with the use of the ESV translation I will look at all of mans ways known to GOD.
"Joseph Also Viewing the Future, by Faith"
"By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones." (Hebrews 11:22)
"When Isaac and Jacob pronounced blessings upon their posterity, they exemplified viewing the future, by faith. When Joseph requested that his bones some day be buried in the land of promise, he was also viewing the future, by faith.
Joseph's journey to leadership in Egypt was marked with alternating battles and blessings. His brothers had betrayed him and sold him into slavery. "Midianite traders passed by; so the brothers . . . sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. And they took Joseph to Egypt" (Genesis 37:28). Soon, Joseph found blessing under the care of Potiphar, an Egyptian captain who purchased him. "And his master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD made all he did to prosper in his hand. So Joseph found favor in his sight, and served him. Then he made him overseer of his house, and all that he had he put in his hand" (Genesis 39:3-4).
Yet, another battle arose. Joseph was imprisoned by the lies of Potiphar's wife, who resented Joseph's refusal of her sensual advances. " 'He came in to me to lie with me, and I cried out with a loud voice' . . . Then Joseph's master took him and put him into the prison" (Genesis 39:14, 20). More blessing came as the LORD in Joseph granted Joseph favor with the prison keeper. "And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph's hand all the prisoners . . . because the LORD was with him; and whatever he did, the LORD made it prosper" (Genesis 39:22-23). Another battle ensued, as one of Pharoah's servants forgot Joseph's kindness to him in prison. "The chief butler did not remember Joseph, but forgot him. Then it came to pass, at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh had a dream" (Genesis 40:23-41:1). Two years later, Joseph's interpretation of Pharoah's dream, this would bring Joseph to his position of authority in Egypt. "You shall be over my house, and all my people shall be ruled according to your word; only in regard to the throne will I be greater than you" (Genesis 41:40).
Faith in the LORD certainly sustained Joseph and brought him to GOD's desired place of service and opportunity. Yet, our present verse reveals that Joseph's basic interest was not his own blessing and advancement. Revealing the presence of the LORD, the Spirit within him. Joseph had a heart for the plans and purposes of GOD. As he viewed the future, he was convinced that the LORD would some day bring His people back to the land of promise. His request to have his bones buried in the land of promise was an expression of his faith in the promises of GOD. "GOD will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here" (Genesis 50:25).
All the Ways of Man are Known to GOD,
Job 34:21-30 "For His eyes are on the ways of a man, and He sees all his steps. There is no gloom or deep darkness where evildoers may hide themselves. For GOD has no need to consider a man further, that he should go before GOD in judgment. HE shatters the mighty without investigation and sets others in their place. Thus, knowing their works, HE overturns them in the night, and they are crushed. HE strikes them for their wickedness in a place for all to see, because they turned aside from following Him and had no regard for any of His ways, so that they caused the cry of the poor to come to Him, and HE heard the cry of the afflicted— When HE is quiet, who can condemn? When HE hides His face, who can behold Him, whether it be a nation or a man?— that a godless man should not reign, that he should not ensnare the people."
Psalm 1:1-3, 4-6 "Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on His law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.
The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; for the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish."
Sin and Shin.
Psalm 119:161-168 "Princes persecute me without cause, but my heart stands in awe of Your words. I rejoice at your word like one who finds great spoil. I hate and abhor falsehood, but I love Your law. Seven times a day I praise You for Your righteous rules. Great peace have those who love Your law; nothing can make them stumble. I hope for Your salvation, O LORD, and I do Your commandments. My soul keeps Your testimonies; I love them exceedingly. I keep Your precepts and testimonies, for all my ways are before You."
Psalm 139:1-6 "O LORD, You have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; You discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O LORD, You know it altogether. You hem me in, behind and before, and lay Your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it."
Psalm 142:1-4, 5-7 "With my voice I cry out to the LORD; with my voice I plead for mercy to the LORD. I pour out my complaint before Him; I tell my trouble before Him. When my spirit faints within me, You know my way! In the path where I walk they have hidden a trap for me. Look to the right and see: there is none who takes notice of me; no refuge remains to me; no one cares for my soul.
I cry to You, O LORD; I say, "You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living." Attend to my cry, for I am brought very low! Deliver me from my persecutors, for they are too strong for me! Bring me out of prison, that I may give thanks to Your name! The righteous will surround me, for You will deal bountifully with me."
Proverbs 5:15-23 "I drink water from Your own cistern, flowing water from Your own well. Should Your springs be scattered abroad, streams of water in the streets? Let them be for Yourself alone, and not for strangers with You. Let Your fountain be blessed, and rejoice in the wife of your youth, a lovely deer, a graceful doe. Let her breasts fill you at all times with delight; be intoxicated always in her love. Why should you be intoxicated, my son, with a forbidden woman and embrace the bosom of an adulteress? For a man's ways are before the eyes of the LORD, and HE ponders all his paths. The iniquities of the wicked ensnare him, and he is held fast in the cords of his sin. He dies for lack of discipline, and because of his great folly he is led astray."
Jeremiah 16:16-18 "Behold, I am sending for many fishers, declares the LORD, and they shall catch them. And afterward I will send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them from every mountain and every hill, and out of the clefts of the rocks. For My eyes are on all their ways. They are not hidden from Me, nor is their iniquity concealed from My eyes. But first I will doubly repay their iniquity and their sin, because they have polluted My land with the carcasses of their detestable idols, and have filled My inheritance with their abominations."
Jeremiah 32:16-25 "After I had given the deed of purchase to Baruch the son of Neriah, I (Jeremiah) prayed to the LORD, saying: 'Ah, LORD GOD! It is You Who have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for You. You show steadfast love to thousands, but You repay the guilt of fathers to their children after them, O great and mighty GOD, whose name is the LORD of hosts, great in counsel and mighty in deed, Whose eyes are open to all the ways of the children of man, rewarding each one according to his ways and according to the fruit of his deeds. You have shown signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, and to this day in Israel and among all mankind, and have made a name for Yourself, as at this day. You brought Your people Israel out of the land of Egypt with signs and wonders, with a strong hand and outstretched arm, and with great terror. And You gave them this land, which You swore to their fathers to give them, a land flowing with milk and honey. And they entered and took possession of it. But they did not obey Your voice or walk in Your law. They did nothing of all You commanded them to do. Therefore You have made all this disaster come upon them. Behold, the siege mounds have come up to the city to take it, and because of sword and famine and pestilence the city is given into the hands of the Chaldeans who are fighting against it. What You spoke has come to pass, and behold, You see it. Yet You, O LORD GOD, have said to me, "Buy the field for money and get witnesses"—though the city is given into the hands of the Chaldeans.'"
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